The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) in partnership with United Nations Women, United Nations Global Compact, the Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) Initiative and Access Bank Plc., hosted a Closing Gong Ceremony on Friday, March 6, 2015, in celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and International Women’s Day. This is in line with the Exchange’s commitment to promoting gender equality and women’s economic empowerment.
In his opening remarks, the Executive Director, Business Development, NSE, Mr. Haruna Jalo-Waziri, commended the organizers and partners for investing their time and resources in advancing gender equality and celebrating women. According to Jalo-Waziri, “achieving gender equality is important for workplaces not only because it is fair and the right thing to do, it is also vitally important to the bottom line of a business and to the productivity of our nation”. He noted that “private sector plays an essential and pivotal role in supporting women’s economic empowerment all around the world. At The Nigerian Stock Exchange we are making it happen, as we have women filling 32% of the workforce and we are still working at improving that figure”.
Sounding the Closing Gong of the Exchange, the UN Women, Country Programme Director, Dr. Grace Ongile said, “As we mark this year’s International Women’s Day, I wish to remind us that it’s time to stimulate national and international government agencies into re-framing, reviewing, where applicable, policies that will realise gender equity and equality. We hope this Closing Gong ceremony for gender equality will be the starting point of a fast tracked journey to equality in rights and opportunity for igerian women .”
Similar events are being held with the SSE partner Exchanges across the globe. On the 10th and 11th of March, 2015, Women Empowerment Principles stakeholders will build on the momentum of these global events by bringing together leaders from business, Government, the UN and civil society for the 2015 WEPs Event, which is titled Unlimited Potential: Business Partners for Gender Equality. Participants will reflect on the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action – the 1995 comprehensive global framework for women’s empowerment- and chart a path toward to a sustainable, equal, and inclusive future.
